Study of the chemical hazard in car body painting workshops in the city of Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
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Study of the chemical hazard in car body painting workshops in
the city of Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
Saybou Savadogo ( ssaybou0204@gmail.com )
Laboratoire National de Santé Publique, 09 BP: 24 Ouagadougou 09 Burkina Faso
Salimata Traoré
Laboratoire de toxicologie de l’environnement et santé, Université Joseph KI-ZERBO, 03 BP : 7021 Ouagadougou 03, Burkina
Faso
Sibiri Sylvain Rouamba
Laboratoire National de Santé Publique, 09 BP: 24 Ouagadougou 09 Burkina Faso
Abdoul Karim Sakira
Laboratoire de toxicologie de l’environnement et santé, Université Joseph KI-ZERBO, 03 BP : 7021 Ouagadougou 03, Burkina
Faso
Adama Coulibaly
Office de santé des travailleurs, 03 BP : 7021 Ouagadougou 03, Burkina Faso
Boukary Sana
Pharmacie Amirbouba, 07 BP : 5192 Ouagadougou 07, Burkina Faso
Touridomon Issa Somé
Laboratoire de toxicologie de l’environnement et santé, Université Joseph KI-ZERBO, 03 BP : 7021 Ouagadougou 03, Burkina
Faso
Research Article
Keywords: Chemical hazard, paint, car bodywork, Burkina Faso
Posted Date: April 25th, 2022
DOI: https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-1573498/v1
License: This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Read Full License
Page 1/10Abstract
Knowledge of the risks of chemicals remains low among most parts of the African population. This situation is further
complicated by the widespread lack of reliable data and information on the toxicity and safe use of chemicals. The present
study was conducted to describe the chemical hazards to which workers in auto body paint shops would be exposed.
The cross-sectional and descriptive study was conducted in car body paint shops in the city of Ouagadougou. The data
collection consisted of an inventory of the products, direct observation of the workers in the work situation, and interviews.
A total of 17 chemical products were inventoried in all the car body paint shops. Of the 17 products inventoried, 15 were
flammable solvents (88.23%), 2 (11.77%) were in paste form and 1 (5.88%) was an oxidizer. All the products were dangerous for
health and among them 6 (35.29%) were dangerous for the environment according to their pictograms. These products were
handled without special precautions.
All these products present risks for human health and the environment. In view of the working conditions, there is a potential
exposure of the workers to all the chemicals as well as the inhabitants of the nearby residential areas.
Introduction
Chemicals are used in a variety of products such as paints, inks, pesticides, degreasers, thinners and adhesives. These are used
in many fields such as painting [1, 2].
According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), worker exposure to chemicals is estimated to cause 375,000 deaths
each year [3], or more than 1,000 deaths per day worldwide. Two thirds of these deaths occur in developing countries [4].
In France, approximately 4.8 million tons of carcinogenic, mutagenic and reprotoxic substances were used in 2005 [5]. The
2002–2003 survey on medical surveillance of employee exposure to occupational risks showed that construction and public
works workers were "more exposed to reprotoxic products, particularly lead and its derivatives" [6].
Knowledge of the hazards inherent to chemical products remains low in most components of the African population. This
situation is more complicated by the general lack of reliable data and information on the toxicity and safe use of chemicals [7].
In Burkina Faso, there is an increase in the use and diversity of paint chemicals in auto body paint shops.
This situation exposes workers to risks of acute intoxication, fire-explosion, or environmental pollution. They can also cause
more insidious effects, after years of exposure of the worker to low doses, or even several years after the end of exposure [8].
Although the hazard of chemical intoxication is real, there are no data on chemical hazards among workers in car body paint
shops in Burkina Faso. It therefore seems appropriate to carry out this study, the aim of which is to describe the chemical
hazards to which workers in car body paint shops are exposed.
Methods
Type, period and study population
This was a descriptive cross-sectional study that took place from June 20 to August 15, 2018. The study populations consisted
of workers present in the auto body paint shops during our visit.
Sampling
In the absence of an official list of auto body paint shops in the informal sector, 6 districts (3, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11) of the 12 districts of
the city of Ouagadougou were drawn at random. Five car body paint shops per district were selected, for a total of 30 shops in
Page 2/10the sample. Thus, auto body paint shops that were at least three months old and agreed to participate in the study when we
visited were included in our study.
Inventory of chemicals and characterization of their hazards
The inventory of chemicals used for painting in car body paint shops in the city of Ouagadougou was done with the support of
an inventory form developed for this study. From the labels of each chemical product, the name and pictograms were taken in
order to characterize their danger for human health and the environment.
Description of worker exposure conditions
The data collection consisted of :
- identifying the different workstations ;
- then to verify the existence and use of collective and individual protection by direct observation of the personnel in real work
situations ;
- to verify the storage conditions of the products and the management of waste.
Data collection tools and techniques
An inventory form was used to list the products, a form describing the working conditions according to the workstations and an
interview form were used to collect data related to the work environment. A pre-test was conducted to validate the data
collection tools.
The data collection technique consisted of an inventory of the products, direct observation of the workers in the work situation
and interviews.
Data processing and analysis
The description of health and environmental hazards was based on the literature, because none of the car body paint shops had
either a Safety Data Sheet (SDS) or a toxicological data sheet for the various products used. The data were analyzed using the
epi info software in its version 7.
Results
Inventory of chemicals used in car body paint shops
Twenty-one (21) workshops (67.75%) of the thirty-one workshops listed in our study area agreed to participate in the study.
A total of 17 chemicals were inventoried in all the car body paint shops. Of the 17 products inventoried, 15 were flammable
solvents (88.23%), 2 (11.77%) were in paste form and 1 (5.88%) was oxidizing (Table 1). All (100%) of the products were
hazardous to human health and among them, 6 (35.29%) were hazardous to the environment according to their pictograms.
Five (29.41%) products were made up of separate chemical substances against 12 (70.58%) mixtures of several chemical
substances. Ninety-six (96) products repackaged in recovery boxes and not labelled were found in the workshops.
Organization of the car body painting workshops and activities carried out per shift
Three workstations were identified in all of the auto body paint shops: surface preparation (sanding, puttying, priming); paint
coating and its components; and the secretary's station. However, only 3/21 (14.28%) of the auto body paint shops had a
secretary position.
Surface preparation exposure conditions
Page 3/10The work in this position primarily involves stripping of the old paint coating. This involves removing the old paint by scraping
with abrasive paper. This operation produces dust which is inhaled by the operators. After stripping, the second step is to apply
the filler and primer (containing styrene, bisphenol A, epoxy resin) and dibenzoyl peroxide to polish the bodywork to be painted.
The operators work without any protection. The preparation of the surface of a vehicle in all the workshops varies between 5 to
7 days and the daily work lasts on average 9 hours.
Exposure conditions at the paint coating station
The paint coating of the prepared surfaces consists in the application of the paint. This application is done by the operator
using a spray gun. The mixtures are made directly in the cup before their application. The spray gun releases solvent vapors and
aerosols into the ambient work air. These vapors and aerosols are inhaled by the workers. The aerosols can also fall on the
workers' skin. The paint coating takes 4 to 5 hours. In the 21 auto body paint shops, hand washing and equipment washing after
work is done with organic solvents such as the mixture (Toluene-dichloromethane-methanol-tetrahydrofuran-acetone-ethyl
acetate) used as a solvent for paint application. The average paint coating in all the workshops is one vehicle per week. This
operation is carried out without wearing gloves, long-sleeved coats, chemical masks or goggles. However, only in 3 workshops
out of 21, the operators used non-chemical masks of the nose-patch type adapted rather to the protection against the inhalation
of microorganisms (F1 or KN95).
Secretarial job exposure conditions
The role of the secretaries is to receive customers, enter invoices and receipts. It existed in only 3 workshops out of the 21 at the
time of our visit. These offices are adjacent to the other two workstations. The secretaries in the offices are not in direct contact
with the chemicals. They are exposed through the ambient atmosphere containing solvent vapors and aerosols released during
paint coating. The secretaries work 7 hours a day and 6 days a week.
Storage of products in car body paint shops
Of the 21 car body paint shops visited, 4 (19.04%) shops stored products in a warehouse on wooden shelves, 2 (9.52%) in metal
boxes, 3 (14.28%) on wooden tables, 2 (9.52%) in used refrigerators, 4 (19.04%) in cardboard boxes and 6 (28.57%) in used
vehicles.
Waste generated and its management
The waste produced by the car body paint shops during their activities consists of empty cans of used chemicals, leftover
chemicals, expired chemicals, cardboard boxes used as packaging, papers and newspapers for the protection of the windows
during the paint coating. The waste products are stored in one place or in a jumble. They are transported to the nearest public
dumping grounds.
Discussion
The inventory of car body paint shops in the city of Ouagadougou identified 17 chemicals that were hazardous to the health of
exposed workers. Of these 17 products, 6 presented hazards to the environment. Biardeau et al. [6] in a multidisciplinary survey
of chemical hazard assessment in paint companies found 175 distinct chemical substances with health hazards,
physicochemical hazards and environmental hazards. Also in car body paint shops, 96 reconditioned products found could not
be identified because these products were neither labeled nor in their original packaging. This could be explained not only by the
fact that the acquisition of chemicals does not follow a formal circuit, but also by the lack of information and training of
operators on the nature of the products and the conditions of use. Biardeau et al. [6] reported in France that 50% of products
were not labeled. These unidentified products could be the same as those identified in the inventory because they are the same
products used for automobile coating. They may be confusing to recognize and may be the cause of dangerous chemical
reactions harmful to workers' health.
Page 4/10The results of this study identified three potential routes of worker exposure to chemicals in all 21 automotive body paint shops.
These are the dermal, respiratory and ocular routes. In the case of skin exposure, work is carried out with bare hands without
wearing gloves or a smock, and equipment and hands are washed with petroleum solvents. The deposition of aerosols on
uncovered areas is a real source of exposure and entry of toxic substances into the body. Gargouri in his study on the
assessment of the health impact of occupational exposure to organic solvents in the industry of glues and shoes in the region
of Sfax-Tunisia had highlighted a lack of collective and individual protective equipment [1,9]. This lack of protection could cause
effects such as irritation, skin sensitization, allergic reactions caused most often by substances such as bisphenol A, dibenzoyl
peroxide, methyl acetate and dichloromethane [10,11,12,13]. Long-term manifestations such as defatting, peeling and
sensitizing effects have been reported following prolonged exposures to dichloromethane, toluene, methanol and
tetrahydrofuran [13,14,15,16]. In the eye, solvent vapors and aerosols have been the cause of eye irritation and blindness
observed in workers using methyl ethyl ketone peroxide [17]. The volatility of the solvents, the dispersion of the aerosols in the
ambient air combined with the non-use of chemical masks expose the workers to serious respiratory pathologies. Similar
observations were made by Khayati in a study of the risk of exposure in leather processing in Tunis [9]. Respiratory pathologies
due to exposure to chemicals used in paint shops are multiple and can be acute or chronic. The inhalation of these products can
be the cause of irritation of respiratory mucosa [11, 14, 18, 19], psycho-organic syndromes (headaches, dizziness, narcosis,
drowsiness or coma) [13, 14, 16, 17, 20, 22], toxicity on the central nervous system [22], sterility in particular in women and
cancers [11, 13, 19, 22, 23]. Functional changes in the endocrine system, immune system, liver, kidney and other organ functions
and hypersensitivity reactions have also been reported as hazards with unsafe use of paints [7].
The various components of the environment (air, soil, water) could be affected by the harmful effects of the chemicals used in
automotive painting. Indeed, Biardeau et al. [6] reported in their study that 12% of the products inventoried in the painting
companies were classified as "harmful to the environment" [6]. There is also air pollution due to the emission of solvent vapors
and paint aerosols during the stripping of the old paint and the coating of the new paint. The car body paint shops being
installed in residential areas, could constitute a risk of exposure to chemical products for the inhabitants of these shops. Some
products like toluene contribute to the greenhouse effect [14]. Waste products such as leftover chemicals, expired chemicals and
empty cans lying on the ground could lead to a spill of these products on the ground and with rainwater end up in the
groundwater. Indeed, previous studies have shown a good bioaccumulation of these products in the soil [14]. Finally, through
runoff or accidental spills, these products can end up in water reservoirs, rivers or streams. Some products such as cyclohexane,
heptane, hexane, toluene and xylene have shown toxicity to aquatic organisms [14]. This situation still poses the problem of the
management and disposal of waste from car body paint shops.
Conclusion
Our study has enabled us to identify all the chemical products used by painters in car body shops in the informal sector in the
city of Ouagadougou. All these products present risks for human health and the environment. Given the working conditions,
there is a potential exposure of workers to the chemicals used as well as the inhabitants of the surrounding residential areas. A
toxicological and environmental hazard assessment in the car body painting workshops would allow us to know the degree of
impregnation of the workers and the environment to the chemicals.
Declarations
Acknowledgements
The authors appreciate all workers of the Kondor detergent factory who participated voluntarily in the study.
Authors’ contributions
Conceptualization: SS, ST. Data curation : SS, ST, TIS. Methodology : SS, ST, AKS. Writing-original draft: SS, ST, AC, BS. Writing-
review & editing: SS, SSR, ST. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
Funding
Page 5/10Not applicable
Availability of data and materials
The datasets used and analysed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.
Declarations Ethics
Authorization for the survey was requested and obtained from each workshop manager and written informed consent was taken
from all participants.
Consent for publication
All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
Competing interests
The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare for this study.
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Table
Table 1 : List of chemicals inventoried in auto body paint shops
Page 8/10N° Chemical name Trade name Physical Identifier Nature of
state of the hazard
the
product
(quantity)
01 Dibenzoyl peroxide HARDENER Paste 94-36-0 Noxious or
BPO (20g) irritating,
flammable,
dangerous
for the
environment
02 Polyester, styrene 5- Extra/ Paste (5 UP : 0648 Noxious or
23%, bisphenol A and Polygard et 2,5 L) irritant
epoxy resin
health
hazard
03 Methyl ethyl ketone Plastikit Non 1338-23-4 Corrosive,
peroxide volatile Oxidizing
liquid
(20mL)
04 Xylene UPOL Volatile 1330-20-7 Noxious or
liquid irritant,
(1L) flammable
05 Isocyanate ICL Super Volatile 624-83-9 Noxious or
liquid irritant,
(1L) flammable
06 Urethane Hiq : DR Volatile Noxious or
421S liquid irritant,
(1L) flammable
07 Toluene, xylene, Nitrocellulose Volatile UN :3A1/Y/140/17/GB/1267 Noxious or
methanol (1-5%) Thinner/ liquid (5 irritant,
champ L) flammable
08 Acetone, methanol, Nitrocellulose Volatile UN :3A1/Y1,2/100/16/I/CSI453150CMO2 Noxious or
methyl acetate, ethyl Thinner liquid (5 irritant,
acetate, L) health
dichloromethane, hazard,
ethanol, toluene, flammable
propan-2-ol, methyl
ketone, hexane,
heptane, butanol, 4-
methylpentan-2-one,
butyl acetate
09 Toluene, butanone, Standard Volatile UN :3A1/Y12/150/16/F/HP6/LRM/M027 Flammable,
butane-2-ol, heptane, thinners liquid Corrosive,
N-hexane, (5L) noxious or
ethylbenzene, xylene, irritant,
PA, propane-1-ol, N- Dangerous
butyl acetate, for health,
cyclohexane, ethyl dangerous
acetate, methyl for the
acetate, environment
methylisobutylketone,
methanol, propyl
acetate, acetone, N-
butanol, H225
10 Acrylic, epoxy resin Appocoat Volatile Flammable,
liquid (1 noxious or
L) irritating
dangerous
for the
environment
Page 9/1011 Toluene, N-butyl Stainless Volatile UN :3A1/Y1,2/150/16L/07058/SNCH- Noxious or
acetate, acetone 1- liquid (5 IGRA07I/CSI12222/ASAR13 irritant,
methoxy-2-propanol L) health
hazard,
flammable
12 Xylene, butyl acetate Standard volatile UN :3A1/Y1,2/100/17GN/3209070DPTCPI010 Noxious or
thinner liquid (5 irritant,
L) dangerous
for health,
dangerous
for the
environment,
flammable
13 Toluene, cyclohexane, Standard volatile UN :3A1/Y/140/17GB/1267 Noxious or
heptane, n-hexane, cellulose liquid (5 irritant,
tetrahydrofuran thinners L) dangerous
for health,
dangerous
for the
environment,
flammable
14 Polyisocyanate, ethyl SENIOR Car volatile UN : 1263 Flammable,
acetate, n-butyl Paint liquid (1 noxious or
acetate, propoxyl L) irritant
glycol methyl ether
acetate, methyl
isobutyl ketone
15 Acétate éthyle, SENIOR Car Volatile UN : 1263 Noxious or
acétate de n-butyle, Paint liquid (1 irritant,
acétate d'éther L) flammable
méthylique de
propoxylglycol,
méthylisobutylcétone
16 Toluene, ethyl Nitrocellulose Volatile UN : 1263 Dangerous
acetate, methyl Thinner liquid to the
acetate, acetone, (5L) environment
methanol, butyl noxious or
acetate standard, irritant,
butanol standard, health
hexane standard, hazard,
heptane, butanone, flammable
isopropyl acetate,
propan-2-ol
17 Toluene, FIDEA Volatile UN :3A1/Y 1,4/120/17/F/FA/LRM AE06 Noxious or
dichloromethane, liquid irritant,
methanol, (5L) health
tetrahydrofuran, hazard,
acetone, ethyl acetate flammable
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